1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to parking brakes for all terrain vehicles.
2. Prior Art
Previously, many all terrain vehicles, “ATV's,” as have automatic transmissions have relied on placing the vehicle in park to hold it in place. Where, on level or nearly level ground, such is effective for holding the vehicle in place. However, should an operator stop the ATV on a slope and place the shift lever into “park” and release the foot brake, such operator will find that it is difficult to reposition the shift lever into “drive” as the weight of the vehicle will resist shift lever movement until the vehicle weight is taken off the vehicle transmission and linkage as by a person or persons pushing on the vehicle to neutralize the vehicle weight, removing that weight off of the transmission and linkage. Accordingly, in practice, an ATV operator who stops their vehicle on a slope and places the vehicle shift lever in “park” may find it difficult to reposition that shift lever into drive without exerting force on the shaft lever as many damage the vehicle transmission and/or linkage. The present invention addresses this problem by providing a linkage for maintaining a sufficient depressive force on the vehicle brake pedal to hold the vehicle in place without a reliance on a movement of the shift lever into “park.” Which linkage is unique in that when a brake handle is rotated approximately ninety (90) degrees downwardly from the horizontal, a continuous column is provided to transmit a sufficient force onto the brake pedal, depressing and holding the vehicle brake pedal down, operating the vehicle breaking system. Whereas, when that brake handle is back to the horizontal through approximately ninety degrees, the linkage forming the column is released, disconnecting the linkage components from one another, and allowing the brake pedal to lift, insuring brake system release.